Reviews
The author adopts quite a chatty tone as she very successfully 'makes history come alive' and takes readers through the eight centuries of social, political, and cultural world history haunted by the terrors of The Plague, The Death, The Pestilence. Comprehensively researched historical information is interspersed with some gripping 'Imagine you are there' segments: diary entries and letters written by fictional characters who are about fourteen.
— Elspeth Cameron, Reading Time
This text offers excellent insights into medieval society as well as human nature in general and would be certain to spark lively classroom discussions about medieval European life for high school students learning about this period of history.
— Susan Whelan, Suite101
...a book for a young audience that corrects much of the starry-eyed jingoism but that will nevertheless leave its readers with pride and a warm glow on Anzac Day
— Australian Book Review
...tries to get beyond the dry facts and give a sense of how it was to be there, under fire, surrounded by corpses, rats and mud... an admirable starting point for young people wishing to peel back the veil of history
— Sydney Morning Herald
Scarecrow Army by Leon Davidson is one of the best books I have read about the Anzacs at Gallipoli... Davidson knows his subject well and writes the historical detail with great clarity.
— Otago Daily Times
The anti-war message is delivered subtly through the utter wastefulness of life Gallipoli represents... Davidson is rigorous in his questioning...
— Christopher Bantick, The Age
...the vivid description of the desperate battles and the endless struggle for individual survival... compel the reader to turn the page... this must-read book will not stay on the shelves for long
— Fiction Focus
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a mix of action, war and history
— Dena Barr, The Age Reader Reviews
...the story of the retreat alone is a fascinating account of miliary tactics... A terrific book
— The West Australian
What I like about Scarecrow Army is the insistent personal perspective that integrates fact and fiction... to create an accessible account of the Anzacs at Gallipoli. Kiwi-born Leon Davidson has worked cleverly here to tell more than the usual story... One of the ready-made perspectives in war makes the enemy into an automatic stranger – ‘The Turks’ in Davidson’s account, are people, they actually have names, and their stories are the same as ours... It’s this that distinguishes Scarecrow Army as an Anzac account different from most I’ve read. The anti-war message that Davidson articulates from a sound historical perspective is at once subtle and potent
— Teacher Education Magazine
Many books describe the Gallipoli campaign, but few cater to younger readers as effectively as Davidson’s detailed, 180-page history... the text contains numerous anecdotes that bring the story to life... A thoughtful, thought-provoking publication.
— Booknotes
The real life experiences of Gerald Sievers, a Kiwi country boy selected for the Vatican choir who found a different and poignant destiny in Turkey, will long be remembered by the reader... A great narrative... Highly recommended.
— Magpies
Leon Davidson’s Scarecrow Army is the best book on Gallipoli I have read. Its mix of fact and fiction brings the people and the battle alive... I challenge anyone to read this book without crying.
— Judith Tizzard, New Zealand Associate Minister of Culture and Planning
...accessible information in an appealing format
— The Age
A terrific book which will bring Anzac Day to life for readers
— The West Australian Education Magazine
...a great narrative told well. Highly recommended
— Magpies
...a useful and timely addition
— Viewpoint
